1 May Newsletter
STUFF HAPPENING AT JUST FOCUS
Tena koutou
You may have noticed (that is, if you usually watch your inbox in eager anticipation of the next Just Focus Newsletter) that this newsletter is a little late. This is because the Just Focus team- in our constant quest to increase our capacity to work for a just world- spent Thursday and Friday in training, learning how to deliver effective presentations and workshops. Hopefully some of you will directly benefit from our newly honed skills in the near future!
RECENT NEWS AND EVENTS
The Virginia Tech shooting on April 16 received a huge amount of public attention, but prompted little REAL political debate about gun laws in the US. Of course there were those that believed if Seung-Hui Cho had not just been able to walk into a store and buy a gun then this would never have happened, but frighteningly more seemed to be saying that the tragedy would have been better prevented if the other students were armed too! Any real calls to restrict access to weapons will face powerful opposition from the NRA.
In fact, many didn’t even think this was a story about guns, “They flew airplanes into the World Trade Centre, but nobody is saying we should stop flying. One person who’s mad enough and determined enough can kill 30 people; you can’t blame that on guns.” Some commentators believe this is really an issue about mental illness. Which is unfortunate, because despite studies- like this one- that show mental illness is neither necessary, nor a sufficient cause of violence, the media focus feeds a stereotype that could cause further stigma and discrimination against people with mental illnesses.
Over at Alternet, they are digging a little deeper and asking is Virginia Tech the Scene of the Crime the Cause of the Crime?
The US and Britain have in recent weeks indicated that their patience with Omar al-Bashir, Sudan’s president, is running out. Last week Tony Blair called for action on Dafur, favouring “tougher measures and sanctions” against Sudan over the continuing violence in the region. Meanwhile the global community indicated their own impatience with the continued bloodshed in Darfur in a series of demonstrations around the world which marked the fourth anniversary of the conflict’s start.
The United Nations fact-finding mission dispatched to Fiji to assess the political and electoral situation in the Pacific Island nation in the wake of the coup d’état last December wrapped up its work yesterday. UN spokesperson Michele Montas told journalists that the inter-agency mission held a wide range of talks with various representatives while in Fiji. Scoop also reported that Fiji has caused a flurry of activity at the UN after an announcement that 92 soldiers from its army will be deployed to Sinai and Sudan. The UN has been asked to clarify their position on Fiji, considering the military lead the coup in December.
UPCOMING EVENTS FOR YOU TO BE PART OF
Fairtrade Fortnight started on Saturday. There are events going on around the country from film screenings to football matches, click here for more information on Fairtrade Fortnight or here to find out what happening near you!
May Day It’s May Day today! Check out indymedia for info on what’s happening near you.
Aotearoa Anthology of Global Poetry
Dev-Zone has issued a call to established and new writers to submit poems for a new anthology of Aotearoa New Zealand poetry about global issues. The anthology will feature poems about events and situations in the world that challenge, anger or excite us, that we fear or long for. From privatisation to peace, from human rights to global warming from violence against women to trade to famine, there are important poems to be written!
Submissions close Saturday, June 30th 2007. Check out the Dev-Zone website for all the details.
Also keep an eye on the Events page on the Just Focus website.
LINKS TO OTHER INTERESTING STUFF
Watch Fish and Penguin solve a classic murder mystery in The Bio Da Versity Code.
It’s all fun and games until somebody detonates a warhead!! April marked the 20th anniversary of New Zealand’s Anti Nuclear policy and Greenpeace are trying to educate a new generation about why our nuclear free legislation is still relevant. But it doesn’t have to be all so serious- check out Duke Anti-Nuke.
Google earth have teamed up with the Holocaust Museum to increase our understanding of the situation of Darfur- Crisis in Darfur. It’s a great tool for raising awareness, but is it enough to solve Darfur’s problems? Conor Foley, who is a humanitarian aid worker and a research fellow at the Human Rights Law Centre at the University of Nottingham, offers his perspective on the project.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS?
There may not have been very much debate in the US about the current state of gun laws, but what do YOU think? A very interesting article was posted on the forum that should provoke some interesting discussion.
The subject of abortion is likely to stir up strong feelings wherever you are in the world. Mexico City has now joined Cuba and Guyana as the only places in Latin America where abortion is legal. Join the debate on the forum.
NEW STUFF FOR YOU
World Changing: A user’s guide for the 21st Century
This book brings together the most innovative solutions, ideas and inventions for building a sustainable, livable and prosperous future. From consumer consciousness to a new vision for industry; non-toxic homes to refugee shelters; microfinance to effective philanthropy; socially responsible investing to starting a green business; citizen media to human rights; ecological economics to climate change this is the most comprehensive, cutting-edge overview to date of what’s possible in the near future — if we decide to make it so.
This book and heaps of other great resources and films, are available to borrow FREE from the Global Education Centre. Email eva@globaled.org.nz for info on how to borrow them.
WANNA GET MORE INVOLVED?
Want to add stuff to the next newsletter or the Events Page, or to write an article/review, or take a photo/create an image for the Just Focus website? Reply to us at info@justfocus.org.nz, it’s always great to hear from you.
Not a Just Focus member yet? Join here!
